Electric switching machine



Oct. 18; 1932. R. E. TAFEL. 1,383,090

ELECTRIC SWITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1930 3.SheetS-.-Sheet 1 IIIIII E087. E. TAFEL INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1932. R TAFEL 1,883,090

ELECTRIC SWITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5

R087? ETAF'EL [N VENTOR ATTORNEY 6d. 18, 1932; R. E. TAFEL 1,883,090

ELECTRIC SWITCHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fim.

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IN VEN TOR.

BIZQIL-XM ATTORNEYS.

Patented Get. 18, 1232 UNITED STATES ROBERT E. TAFEL, OF LOUISVILLE,KENTUCKY ELECTRIC SWITCHING MACHINE Application filed February 18, 1930.Serial No. 429,327.

This invention relates to improvements in an electric switching machine,1n whlch the switch point, of switch points, of a railway track isthrownfrom one position to another by electric current being applied tosolenoids forming a part of electro-magnets disposed in a metallic boxplaced adjacent the track and simultaneously with the completion of thisoperation actuate auxiliary electric switches of an electric signalingdevice; and, an object of my improvements is to provide an effectivelocking device between the switch point and the operating means, anotherobject being to produce a device of this class that can be produced in asimpler mechanism and within a smaller compass than existing devices,being offered to produce similar results.

' These objects are attained by the apparatus illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which z- Figure 1 is a. plan View of thepreferred form of the apparatus as it appears after the removal of thelid or cover, not shown, and disposed adjacent a railroad track in whicha pair or" switch points are employed.

Fig. 2 is a simple section of Fig. 1 showing these parts at the end oftheir travel when the switch points are in one position or the other. I

Fig. 3 i an enlarged section of the auxiliary signal switches shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the ground magnet structure operating andlocking mechanism and its associated rod and spring box of thetrackswitch.

Fig. 5 is an end view of spring box housing shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is fragmental cross-sectional view of the magnetic structure usedin the operatng magnets.

1 The ground box or container 1 is placed in the ground adjacent rails2, 2; co-operating therewith are points 3, 3, linked together with bars4, 1a; the former may be of a yielding type as shown by 4b in Fig. lknown as a spring box which is constructed in the usual way with thenuts 4d attached to the rod 4 with springs 40 lodged between same andthe box housing in order that the force from the electric switchoperating device be transmitted through the springs and the associatedparts so that the tongues 3, 3 are locked in either position underspring pressure which is also exerted between the roller 10 and one orthe other of the cam faces 9a, 90. Rod in Fig. 1 (andspring box 46 Fig.4'), is pivotally attached to rod 5 which connects to cam arm 611 bylink 7. Arm 6, known in the track switch art as an escapement lock, ispivoted to pin 8 mounted in box 1 and is fashioned with a throat 9 toreceive roller 10 mounted in lever 11 which is pivoted to pin 12 rigidlysecured to box 1. Cam arm 6 which is a locking device as well as afactor05 in the operation is fashioned with faces 9a, 9a and is solocated and proportioned to lever arm 11 and its bearing 12 and also toroller 10, that in either the full line or dotted position shown in Fig.2 an effective lock will 7 be formed at their end positions and therebysecurely hold tongues .3, 3 in either position, making movementimpossible, without breakage, by a switch iron or means other thanthrough the action ofthe plunger 13 disposed for response to theenergizationof solenoids disposed in magnetichousings 14, 14a, accordingto accepted practice of throwing switches electrically for electricrailway systems. In other words arm 6 is an escapement crank, used toeffect a switch and lock movement, by means of which a single stroke ofa lever arm performs three operations: First moves arm or crank 6 andunlocks the switch; second moves the switch, third moves the arm andlocks the switch. In this specific device,

as solenoid 140 in housing 14 is energized, plunger 13 and itsco-ordinated parts are forcedto the full line position shown in Fig.

2 whereas when solenoid in 14a is energized it carries these parts tothe dotted line position. Lever arm 11 carries a wrist pin 16 which isengaged by throat 15a of yoke 150, making it possible for plunger 15 tomove all the parts associated with lever arm 11 without binding. To eachend of the plunger 13, magnetic material in the form of a cylinderillustrated by'l3b is provided. Housings of magnetic material 14, 14aare located in saddles 1a, 1a, made integral with box 1 and furthersecured to same by straps 17, 17 and bolts 18, 18.

Special attention is directed to the structure employed for the far endsof housings 14:, 14a. Fig. 6 is given to bring out the details of same.It shows the magnetic structure without the solenoid. As both of theseends are identical, only one is described. Into the end of magnetichousing 14 is fitted and secured in any suitable way magnetic head 146,into which is threaded the usual non-magnetic tube or cylinder 14d whichcarries the magnetic plunger 136, the travel of which is so arrangedthat at the end of the stroke it engages auxiliary magnetic head 14which is loosely mounted into cylinder 14d and is proportioned and solocated that at the end of the stroke of plunger 13 there is an actualengagement which unseats this auxiliary head, the travel of same beinglimited by a cushion member 149, preferably of rubber, which in turn islodged in contact with the end wall of ground box 1. This arrangement isfor the purpose of establishing a dynamic magnetic break feature and toincrease the effective magnetic lines of force for materially increasingthe pull. It is at once apparent that the magnetic lines of force aredirected to the plunger and that a shorter path is established duringthe pulling movement and at the end of the movement a substantiallyclose magnetic circuit is established which in itself has a dampening orlooking effect upon the plunger and serves to definitely locate and lockall of the moving parts associated therewith. The hole-shown in 14f and14g is for the purpose of admitting rod 19 for actual contact with theend of plunger 13 for the manual operation as explained below.

To provide for manual operations, rods 19, 19 are provided, which enteropenings in the back end ofeach housing 14, 14a through end walls of box1 and are connected to pivoted links 20,20, attached to the box whichlinks are fashioned with openings 20a, 20a for receiving an auxiliarylever, not shown.

Pivoted in the ends of box 1a is shaft 21 on to which are adjustablysecured cam arms 22, 23, and lever 24:. Arms 25, 26 and 27 are fixed tosleeve 28 to form a unit which is loosely mounted on shaft 21. Arms 26and 27 are so located that they will be positioned in the path of camface 11a, a part of lever arm 11, and be raised when lever 11 is at theends of its travel as shown in Fig. 2. WVhen arms 26 and 27 are out ofengagement with cam face 11a they fall by gravity to a level permittedby the rod 25a attached to lever 25, the latter being adjustably securedto the sleeve 28 so that all of said arms will move simultaneously. Rod25a is so positioned and disposed that it follows in the same line oftravel as do arms 30, 31. The normal weights of the parts attached tosleeve 28 are such that rod 2542 will normally tend to hold arms 30 and31 out of electrical contact with terminals 30, 306 which are fixed toinsulated block 32. To hold these contacts open it is necessary for theparts, of which 25a is a member, to overcome springs 30a, 31a which aresuitably placed so as to normally tend to maintain the electricalcontacts between arm 30, terminal 30?), also arm 31, terminal 31?). Thecam levers 22, 23 are so disposed that their faces 22a, 23a at certainperiods, according to the rotation of shaft 21 will engage rollers 300,310 and effect opening of the contact members associated therewith. Itwill be seen that the aforesaid contacts will be responsive to thecamming action only when the rod 25a has been lifted off of arms 30, 31and that when lever 11 is traveling from either of its rest positionsthe circuit contacts 30, 30?) and 31, 31?) will remain open.

This auxiliary mechanism just described is for use in connection with asignaling or indicating system to show the position of the switch points3, 3 by any selected code and is connected to a signal circuit wherebythe selected signals are actuated according to the position of saidtongues.

Said auxiliary mechanism is mounted on plate A as a unit and may beremoved without disturbing any other part of the apparatus.

The tongues 3, 3 are connected by rod 24a and lever 24 to shaft 21. Itwill be seen that shaft 21 undergoes apartial rotation or oscillation asthe switch tongue passes from one position to another and effectsopening and closing of contacts 30, 31 as explained above.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair ofindependent opposed solenoids encased in independent magnetic housings,having an integral magnetic plunger, a casing, a two position lockmechanism composed of an arm and an escapement crank mountedtransversely of said casing in slidable relation to each other, meansresponsive to said solenoids for operating said lock linearly and meansfor preventing movement exceptthrough said operating means.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair ofindependent opposed solenoids encased in independent magnetic housings,having an integral magnetic plunger, a casing, a two position lockmechanism composed of an arm and an escapement crank mountedtransversely of said casing in slidable rotation to each other, meansresponsive to said solenoids for operating said lock linearly, means forpreventing movement except through said operating means and auxiliaryswitch shifting means connected to said lock.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm andan escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casingthereby constituting a two position lock mechanism and a third lever attached to said casing so located and disposed as to contact a member ofsaid look only at the end of its travel. 4. In an apparatus of thecharacter described, a casing, a lever arm and an escapement crankinterconnected and each pivoted to said casing thereby constituting atoggle mechanism, a third lever attached to said casing so located anddisposed as to contact a member of said toggle only at the end of itstravel, said third lever having associated therewith means forcontrolling a pair of electrical contacts.

5. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a casing, a lever armand an escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casingthereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a third lever attached to saidcasing so located and disposed as to contact a member of said toggleonly at the end of its travel, said third lever having associatedtherewith means for controlling a pair of electrical contacts carried byarms mounted in said casing.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm andan escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casingthereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a pair of independent leversattached to said casing so located and disposed as to contact a memberof said toggle only at the ends of its travel, said independent levershaving associated therewith means for controlling a pair of auxiliaryelectrical contacts.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm andan escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casingthereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a pair of independent leversattached to said casing so located and disposed as to contact a memberof said toggle only at the ends of its travel, said independent levershaving associated therewith means for controlling a pair of electricalcontacts carried by arms mounted in said casing.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing, a lever arm andan escapement crank interconnected and each pivoted to said casingthereby constituting a toggle mechanism, a pair of independent leversattached to said casing so located and disposed 5 as to contact a memberof said toggle only at the ends of its travel, said independent levershaving associated therewith means for controlling a pair of electricalcontacts normally operated by cam levers actuated through a mechanismconnected to a switch point operated by said toggle mechanism.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROBERT E. TAFEL.

